Brassiere and strapless slip



Oct. 19, 1965 M. R. GORMAN 3,212,503

BRASSIERE AND STRAPLESS SLIP Filed Jan. 24, 1964' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 AT'TOR NEYS Oct. 19, 1965 M R. GORMAN 3,212,503

BRASSIERE AND STRAPLESS SLIP Filed Jan. 24, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

AT TORNEYS United States Patent 3,212,503 BRASSIERE AND STRAPLESS SLIP Marion R. Gorman, 87 Hix Ave., Rye, N.Y. Filed Jan. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 340,000 2 Claims. (Cl. 128-456) This invention relates to womens undergarments, and more particularly to the combination of a brassiere and a strapless slip.

Heretofore, most types of brassieres have been provided with shoulder straps attached to front and back portions thereof and adapted to extend over the shoulders of the wearer to support the brassiere. In some cases, however, strapless brassieres have been provided.

Also most types of slips have also been provided with shoulder straps attached to front and back portions thereof and adapted to extend over the the shoulders of the wearer to support the slip.

As a consequence, when it has been desired to wear a slip over a brassiere provided with straps, the wearer has had two straps over each shoulder, one for the brassiere and one for the slip. Such straps are bulky, uncomfortable and difficult to conceal. Since the principal purpose of strapless brassieres has been to avoid the use of any straps, the wearers of strapless brassieres have usually avoided wearing a slip thereon.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a combination of a brassiere and slip which, in the case of a brassiere with shoulder straps, may be supported on a pair of single straps, one for each shoulder, or which, in the case of a strapless brassiere, may be supported without straps.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a brassiere and slip prior to assembly;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of a brassiere and slip as assembled for wear;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views on the lines 3-3 and 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a strapless brassiere;

FIG. 6 is a similar view showing a strapless slip assembled therewith; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view on the line 77 of FIG. 6.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive, a brassiere of conventional construction is provided having the usual pair of shoulder straps attached to front and back portions thereof. In combination therewith, a strapless slip is provided to be worn over the brassiere. In order to support the slip, means are provided for fastening the front and back portions of the slip to the front and back portions of the brassiere shoulder straps, so that the slip may be supported thereby. Preferably said fastening means is of a type which may be readily attached and detached.

Thus, brassiere 10 has a left shoulder strap 11 and a right shoulder strap 12 attached to front and back portions thereof. Each shoulder strap is provided with a conventional adjusting member 13 by which the length of the strap may be adjusted. Each shoulder strap 11 and 12 is also provided with a first fastening element in the form of a transverse loop 14 in proximity to the place where the shoulder strap 11 or 12 is connected to the brassiere 10.

A strapless slip 21, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is worn over brassiere 10. Strapless slip 21 has tabs 22 secured to front and back portions thereof corresponding in location to the positions of the shoulder straps 11 and 12 of the brassiere 10. Each tab 22 has a second fastening ice element attached thereto in the form of a member 23 having a slot 24 for connection to tab 22 and having a transverse hook 25 for engagement with a loop 14 of a brassiere strap. That is, each hook 25 fits into a loop 14 on a shoulder strap 11 or 12, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and has a small prong 26 on its free end to more effectively maintain its connection in loop 14.

It is to be understood that numerous different types of fastening elements can be used in lieu of the one particularly described and still be within the scope of the invention. For instance, hook and eye fasteners, snap fasteners, buttons and numerous other fastening elements commonly used on wearing apparel could be used. It is also contemplated that less than four, or more than four, fastening elements can be used and still be within the scope of the invention. For instance, if the brassiere straps cross in back, prong and loop fasteners, as described in the preferred embodiment of the invention, can be used in front and a single fastener of the same or of a different type could be used in back.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a conventional type of strapless brassiere 30, i.e. one which is so constructed and fitted as to be supported without the use of shoulder straps. According to the present invention such brassiere is modified by securing to the upper edges of the front and back thereof suitable fastening elements such as the loops 31, each adapted to receive the book 25 of one of the fastening elements 23 of the strapless slip illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4. Upon engagement of the fastening elements as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the slip is supported by the brassiere.

Thus, the invention provides for supporting a strapless slip on a brassiere and in the case of a brassiere with shoulder straps, eliminates the duplication of shoulder straps. In the case of a strapless brassiere, it eliminates the use of any shoulder straps. In use, after the brassiere is put on, the strapless slip is slipped on over the brassiere and the fastening elements of the slip are connected to the appropriate fastening elements of the brassiere. Thus, in the form illustrated, hooks 25 are simply inserted into the loops 14 or 31 of the brassiere. The wearer has a more complete and comfortable undergarment than has heretofore been possible.

It will be understood that the invention may be variously modified and embodied within the scope of the subjected calims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A womans undergarment comprising, in combination, a brassiere, a strapless slip adapted to be worn over said brassiere, two loops carried by the front portion of said brassiere at spaced positions near the upper edge thereof, two loops carried by the back portion of said brassiere at spaced positions near the upper edge thereof, two loops carried by the front portion of said slip at spaced positions near the upper edge thereof corresponding to the positions of the two loops carried by the brassiere, two loops carried by the back portion of said slip at spaced positions near the upper edge thereof corresponding to the positions of the two loops carried by the brassiere, each of said loops carried by said brassiere and the correspondingly positioned loop carried by the slip constituting a pair, and a fastening member permanently secured to one loop of each pair and having a hook extending into and detachably engaging the other loop of the pair.

2. A womens undergarment comprising, in combination, a brassiere having a pair of shoulder straps each having one end secured to a front portion of the brassiere and another end secured to a back portion thereof, a strapless slip adapted to be worn over said brassiere, each of said shoulder straps having a loop formed therein near each end thereof and near the upper edge of the brassiere, two loops carried by the front portion of said slip near the upper edge thereof at positions corresponding to the positions of the loops at the front ends of said shoulder straps, two loops carried by the back portion of said slip near the upper edge thereof at positions corresponding to the positions of the loops at the back ends of said shoulder straps, each of said shoulder straps and the correspondingly positioned loop carried by the slip constituting a pair, and a fastening member permanently secured to one loop of each pair and having a hook extending into and detachably engaging the other loop of the pair.

References Cited by the Examiner 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,113,795 4/38 Marshall 128-456 2,264,972 12/41 Greenberg 128510 2,268,781 1/ 42 Slotoroff 12845 6 10 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A WOMAN''S UNDERGARMENT COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A BRASSIERE, A STRAPLESS SLIP ADPTED TO BE WORN OVER SAID BRASSIERE, TWO LOOPS CARRIED BY THE FRONT PORTION OF SAID BRASSIERE AT SPACED POSITIONS NEAR THE UPPER EDGE THEREOF, TWO LOOPS CARRIED BY THE BACK PORTION OF SAID BRASSIERE AT SPACED POSITIONS NEAR THE UPPER EDGE THEREOF, TWO LOOPS CARRIED BY THE FRONT PORTION OF SAID SLIP AT SPACED POSITIONS NEAR THE UPPER EDGE THEREOF CORRESPONDING TO THE POSITIONS OF THE TWO LOOPS CARRIED BY THE BRASSIERE, TWO LOOPS CARRIED BY THE BACK PORTION OF SAID SLIP AT SPACED POSITIONS NEAR THE UPPER EDGE THEREOF CORRESPONDING TO THE POSITIONS OF THE TWO LOOPS CARRIED BY THE BRASSIERE, EACH OF SAID LOOPS CARRIED BY SAID BRASSIERE AND THE CORRESPONDINGLY POSITIONED LOOP CARRIED BY THE SLIP CONSTITUTING A PAIR, AND A FASTENING MEMBER PERMANENTLY SECURED TO ONE LOOP OF EACH PAIR AND HAVING A HOOK EXTENDING INTO AND DETACHABLY ENGAGING THE OTHER LOOP OF THE PAIR. 